Chain.



c. A. PRINDLE.

CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I4. 19H. 1,196,89 PatentedAug. 29,1916.

FL@ i 3 fl 3 5 j 6 "iw" CHARLES' A. rainning, or cIIIcneo, ILLINOIS.

cHAIn.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patntgdl Aug. 29, 19116..

Application led October 14, 1911. SerialNo. 654,609.

To all whom zmayconcern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. PRINDLE, a citizen of the Unit/ed States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chains, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs tothat general class of devices known as chains, and relates particularly to chains for transmitting power.

The invention has among its objects the production of a chain that is'simple, convenient, durable, eliicient and satisfactory, that may be used wherever found applicable.

The invention herein described is similar to that described in my Patent No. 1,058,260,

granted April 8, 1913.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more. particularly pointed out` in the claims.

In the drawings, whereinl like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, Figure l is a plan view and partial sectional view of several assembled links, illustrating one form of my chain. Fig; 2 is a side elevation and a partial sectional view of the same. Fig.. 3 is across sectional viewv taken substantially on line 3, 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 isa perspective view'of a portion of one of the links. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coperating part of the link. Fig. 6 is a plan view yand partial sectional view of several assembled links, illustrating another form of my device. Fig. 7 is a side elevation and. partial sectional view ofv the same. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8, 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a partialsectional and plan view of the parts of two links of another form of my device. Fig. 10 is a: sectional view of the same taken substantially on line,10,.10 of Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is a partial sectional and plan view of theparts of several assembled links showing a slightly modified construction.

In the drawings are illustrated several forms of my im roved chain, the form shown in Figs. 6, and 8 being that shown and described in my pending VIapplication mentioned. The remaining gures illustrate several slightly different forms.

Referring to the form of chain shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the chain comprises a plurality of links, each link of which is made up of a plurality of parts forming a shank, withmeans at the ends for engagement with the adjacent links. One part of the link comprises a shank 1 provided at one end with a truncatedconical lateral projection 5, the opposite end of the shank being provided with a cup-shaped end 2 having a recess 3 therein of a shape corresponding to the lateral projection 5. T ie cooperating link part consists of a shank 11 provided `with a similarlyv formed cupshaped end 12,having a recess 13 therein, and provided with .a lateral projection 15 at the opposite end. The cup-shaped ends 2 and 12 are cut away as at 4 and 14 respectively, andpreferably rounded at the points 8 and 18 respectively. One of the shanks, asshown the shank 1, is provided with .an extending part or lug 7, and the other part with an opening 16 therethrough, the outer side of the shank 11 being preferably coun` tersunk on the outer side, as at 17. The parts of each link are secured together by assembling them with the part 7 on one shank extending through the opening'16 in the other shank, and then upsetting the end of the part 7, as'indicated at the right hand ofv Fig. 1. With this construction the links are secured together without any additional securing means, so that each link comprises only two parts. The lug also constitutes means for accurately mating or alining the link parts in assembling. The cup-shaped ends 2k and 12,v it will benoted, are preferably not cut through at the bottom of the recesses 3 and 13,* but left as at 9 and 19 respectively, so that the link is not weakened in any way. In the form shown in Figs. 6, 7 `and 8, which, as previously mentioned, is the' same form described in my pending application, each of the links is made up of two parts, comprising two shanks 25 and 26, arranged to be securedtogether. The shank 25 is provided with a semi-spherical or cup-shapedl end 29 at one end with an extending part 27 at the opposite end, while the opposite part or half of the link is provided with similar parts 30 and 28 respectively on the shank 26. The semi-spherical or cup-shaped parts 29 and 30 are recessed to receive the parts 27 and 28 of the adjacent link, the cup-shaped ends being open as at 32 and 33 respectively, so as to permit movement of the connecting or adjacent link. The links are assembled by inserting the ends 27 and 28 of the two halves of the Vferring to Fig. ll,`

link in the cup-shaped or recessed ends 29 and 30 of the adjacent link, and then riveting or otherwise securing the two parts of each link together by means of rivets or pins 31 and 34, or their equivalents.

.In Figs... 9 and l0, substantially similar links are shown, each comprising the shanks 20 and 2l having similarly cup-shapedends 22 and extending parts 23. In this form the cup-shaped ends are left with a portion of thematerial at 91 and 191, as in the form shown in Fig. 1. The two parts of each link and they parts of the adjacent link are secured together by rivets or pins 24 and 36.

VThe links shown in Fig. 11 vare substantially the same as those previously described, except vthat they are arranged to swivel. Re-

Y each link comprises shanks and 41,which together by a pin 42, as shown, or in an equivalent: manner. The shank .parts are providedwith cup-shaped ends 43 and 44 respectively, and with semi-spherical extending ends 45 and 46. Openings or slots 47 are providedy inthe cup-shaped ends 43 and 44, similar to those previously described for the other forms. `In this case the shanks may be rounded as at 48 to facilitate the swivel, and so as not to require as wide a space between the links as if the shank of the link were square.

It is of course obvious that'the-V links may be of any desired size or manufactured of any suitable material. Y While the link isparticularly applicable for use on agricultural machinery, vehicles, conveyers, hoisting machinery,and.the like, it may be used wherever found applicable.

I-Iaving lthus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made inthe same without departing from lthe spirit of my invention, hence I do notk wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction or combination offparts herein shown Vand described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new j and desire to secure byLetters Patent .is

l. A chain including a plurality; of similarly formed links, each link comprising two similarly formed parts adapted to be placed together, eachV part consisting ofv a shank Copies of'thisipatent may be obtained for one link part being may be Vsecured vportion'provided with a recess atene end thereof and atwits other end with a portion extending laterally on the side opposite the recess, the links being assembled with the laterally extending portions of one link positioned in the recesses of the adjacent link,

provided with a substantially oblong shaped opening through the shank thereof intermediate its ends, and the other link part having a lug projecting laterally from itsl shank intermediate the ends thereof, said lug being formed as an integral part of the shank and of a size and shape in cross section to fit the said opening in theshank of the other link, the lug being adapted to be fitted into the opening in assembling the link'parts and said lug being of a length to extend through the opening adapted to be upset to secure the link parts together.

2. A. chain including a plurality of similarly formed links, each link comprising two similarly formed parts adapted to be placed together, each part consisting of a shank portion provided with a recess at one end thereof and at its other end with a portion extending laterally on the side opposite the recess, the links being assembled with the laterally extending portions of one link positioned in the recesses of the adjacent link, and separate means for securing the parts of each link together, said means comprising a lug projecting laterally from the shank portion of one link part intermediate the ends thereofA and formed integral therewith, the other link part being provided with an opening extending through the shank portion thereof intermediate its ends, saidlug being of a size andshape in cross section to lit the said opening, the lug being adapted to be fitted into the opening in assembling the link parts, and said lug being of a length to extend through the opening and adapted to be upset to secure the link parts together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subve cents each, by addressing the,Commissoner of Patents, f `Washington, D. G. i i l 

